Authentic Hungarian Pörkölt (Beef and Onion Stew)

One of the most famous Hungarian dishes, this slow-simmered Hungarian beef and onion stew is positively mouthwatering and out-of-this-world delicious!

Marhapörkölt, Hungarian for “beef stew”, is a prime example of how just a few simple ingredients can render the most delicious flavor. The basic Hungarian pörkölt consists of onions sauteed in fat, meat and paprika slow-simmered in a little water and the result is simple fabulous.

My last trip to Hungary before leaving Europe and moving to the United States was with my brother. Knowing we’d be terribly homesick, we decided to do a Grand Tour of Italy, Austria and Hungary before we left. It’s one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. We took time with us, simply jumped in the car with a few provisions, and drove south from Germany with no set itinerary or hotel reservations. We wanted to be spontaneous, to go wherever the mood led us. And it was fantastic!

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While we were in Budapest we ate at one particular restaurant twice, St. Jupát. Several years prior it had been a grease pit, but churned out the best food. It was so greasy that at the back of the restaurant where the steam was coming up through the grates on the sidewalk against the building, the grates were covered with thick residues of lard. Fast forward a few years, the restaurant had experienced a makeover and the atmosphere was really cozy. All-wood interior with tables made out of huge, solid slabs of wood. And even the food was served on rectangular wooden plates. Never mind the fact that the forks and knives of hundreds of previous customers had carved grooves into the wooden plates, raising the question of sanitation — the food was absolutely fabulous and that’s all that mattered. Plus, as always, you say a quick blessing on the food and trust that God will prevent you from keeling over after your meal. That method of food safety has never failed us! And so we ordered the Marhapörkölt, one of our favorite Hungarian dishes, and practically swooned over how delicious it was. We ordered a side serving of Hungarian cucumber salad and for dessert we had traditional Hungarian cherry soup (it’s served cold). We enjoyed everything so much that we ordered exactly the same thing the following evening.

Now, I should have asked the chef for the recipe at the time, but I didn’t. Even so, I know what he would have said: Onions cooked in lard, beef and paprika, slow-simmered with a little water. It really is that simple. But there are a couple of important keys necessary to achieving the best results: The onions really do need to be cooked in lard and the paprika is added to the beef and only briefly cooked to bring out the flavor but not so long that it becomes bitter. And you only want to use a little water so it’s thick and concentrated – it’s not a soup. It’s meant to be served with noodles.

And of course, most importantly, you need quality Hungarian paprika. There are many options out there to purchase, a tiny fraction of which actually come from Hungary. We cannot emphasize enough what a massive difference quality Hungarian paprika makes. We recommend this genuine Hungarian paprika from the Kalocsa region of Hungary. It has a wonderfully rich flavor and an exceptionally vibrant red color. Many of our readers have tried it, written back and agree that quality Hungarian-imported paprika makes all the difference.

I don’t recall whether this restaurant included caraway seed or not, but that is commonly added and has been included here. I don’t like it to be overpowering, but a little bit added creates a really nice depth of flavor.

A word about the lard: Thanks to the USDA who has condemned saturated fat for decades – only now, finally, to sheepishly admit they’ve been wrong about it – you can’t readily find lard on the grocery store shelves. The closest thing I’ve found is something that’s “called” lard but the ingredients list soon reveals that it’s some kind of hydrogenated swill. Now that WILL cause health problems. So in the absence of pork lard, which is what most Hungarians use, we’re simply going to add some bacon and the bacon grease will be a fabulous medium in which to cook the onions. And what dish isn’t better with bacon anyway, right? Right!

Pörkölt is most commonly made with beef or pork and some versions include bell peppers and tomatoes. I’ve included both. Marhapörkölt really is Hungarian comfort food at its best. Pull up a chair and join me!

Let’s get started!

In a large saucepan, fry the bacon until done.

Add the onions and cook over medium high heat until light golden.

Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook for another two minutes.

Add the beef and cook for just a minute until some but not all of the pink is gone.

Add the paprika, stir to combine, and remove from the heat (paprika gets bitter when fried).

Add the tomatoes and remaining seasonings.

Pour just a little water in – you want it to come up just a tad above the halfway point of the stew mixture. In other words, you don’t want it to completely cover the stew.

Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes. It it’s not thick enough by that point, let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes to evaporate some of the liquid. Add salt to taste.

Serve with Homemade Spätzle. In Hungary they’re shorter and stubbier but the flavor and texture is the same. Or serve with boiled potatoes or wide egg noodles. A side salad, particularly a cucumber salad, is also traditional. If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream.

In a medium sauce pan fry the bacon until done. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Add the bell peppers and garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the beef and cook for a minute until some, but not all, of the pink is gone. Stir in the paprika and remove from heat.

Add the remaining ingredients. Add just enough water to come up to just over the halfway point of the stew mixture (in other words, not so the water is covering it). Return to heat and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 minutes. If the stew isn't thick enough, continue to simmer uncovered for a few more minutes so that some of the liquid evaporates. Add salt to taste.

Serve with Homemade Spätzle (in Hungary they are shorter and stubbier, so prepare the dough accordingly or just use whatever method/shape you prefer - the texture and flavor of the dough is the same regardless). Or serve with boiled potatoes or wide egg noodles. A side salad, particularly a cucumber salad, is traditional. If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Hi Adina! Yes, pörkölt is sometimes made with chicken and lamb as well – I’ll bet your grandmother’s was delicious! And speaking of Hungarian chicken dishes, I really need to post my recipe for Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikash), another favorite.

Oh, my I’m drooling! I LOVE everything about this recipe blog. After growing up eating mostly the standard American food, I discovered the whole world has yummy things to try. We love spaetzle. And we always use your method of food safety, too. We’ve always been safe and it makes the food taste better, too.

I made this for my partner and I yesterday and served it with boiled potatoes with parsley and peas. Marvelous! How marvelous? I had the leftovers for breakfast! A very simple, but very satisfying recipe. And we love Your new home! I’m getting close to retirement and we’re looking for something like it in Nova Scotia. Keep this website going. It’s great! And Thank You!

Wonderful! I’m thrilled to hear you both enjoyed this, Laura Ann! It’s one of my very favorites and every time I eat it I’m transported back to Budapest. Nova Scotia sounds heavenly! I know it’s cliched, but Anne of Green Gables has always been one my all-time favorites and Nova Scotia really is a breathtaking part of the world. We’re planning a trip there next Summer which will also include Halifax and Prince Edward Island of course :)

I just made this recipe for my family, and it turned out to be a big hit, with all of them returning for seconds and thirds, leaving barely anything left over! The bacon rendered enough fat to not require the addition of oil, and the flavor of the paprika really stands out beautifully in this recipe! I also like the fact that I didn’t have to make a rue, and still the sauce came out lovely, thick, and velvety. The cucumber salad also offered the right balance. Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish!

That’s wonderful, Emilio, and I am so happy to hear that! This is one of my all-time favorite dishes and one that I make again and again. I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it as much as we do and really appreciate the feedback!

Very authentic recipe. I am Hungarian and am making this tonight. I actually cut the meat myself from sirloin roast as I hate stringy stewing meat that is sold in grocery stores. In Hungarian the little noodles are called either Nokedli or Galushka. My whole family love any dish that has them as an accompaniment.

Loved this dish. The stew was delicious. I had never used Hungarian Paprika before, but I think it will be my new go to. While I cheated on the Spätzle and used a dry store bought variety, I plan on trying to make my own soon. Thanks for another wonderful meal idea!

Hi Steve, if you prefer a thicker sauce you can add some flour when you add the paprika – stir until incorporated. Then when you add the water give it some more stirs to dissolve the flour and as you simmer it the sauce will thicken.

its because you add too much water at first. Basically, you only need enough water to prevent it from burning. The meat and veggies will release a lot of water, so if you cover the uncooked meat with water right off the bat, then it will be way too watery. I wouldn’t add any flour, thats not the way to do it. Tried and hated it.

Good Afternoon from a sunny but chilly Hungary. Lovely dish just made a bucket full for my Hungarian friends at my local Bar. Cucumber salad side and accompanied with ” Tarhonya ” a locally loved pasta,but you could use “Orzo” which is just as good. A couple of pickled gurkins on the side and a dollop of sour cream Yum P.s would definitely use sweet Hungarian Paprika, it makes all the difference “Csemege” if you can source it that is. Sweet and fruity without the heat. Defo post your Paprikas ! Thanks from a Brit abroad

Hi Kimberly, I’m planning to try this dish in the near future so was rooting round on the Internet for “proper” Hungarian mail order paprika. I found hungarianpaprika.net, they ship in Europe and also to the US. According to the sidebar, if you order 30$+ you get free shipping! There are also recipes, so recipe junkies can get a fix from the same site! You may already know about them, but I posted in case you didn’t and in case your other readers would find the info useful. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer!

I just found this recipe. I don’t know if anyone mentioned it, but Hispanic grocery stores carry lard. I’v Used in in several recipes, and it’s much better than any other fat in that recipe. Your recipe looks delicious! Looking forward to trying it.

Hi Victoria, yes they do carry lard but unfortunately most of it isn’t pure lard, it’s been hydrogenated (something I avoid like the plague). There are only a couple of brands out there that sell pure, non-hydrogenated lard. For anyone interested, I’ve also published an article on how to render your own lard, which is what I do: https://www.daringgourmet.com/how-to-render-lard-and-why-you-should-use-it/

Jillian’s question about the instant pot made me smile! Hungarian food is anything but instant! The longer it takes the better it is usually! But as an American living in Budapest, I often found fast ways to make Hungarian dishes. Definitely didn’t turn out as good as the “real thing,” but I didn’t always have time for the “real thing!” :) Have you ever made Somói galuska? I found lots of shortcuts for it.

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Unless otherwise stated, all images, content and recipes are original and are the sole property of Kimberly Killebrew, daringgourmet.com. No photographs or other content may be used without prior written consent.